Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Dog with fluid around heart from cancer of unknown origin
By Kirsch, J A et al.·Published in Journal of the American Animal Hospital Association·2000·Department of Small Animal Medicine, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Pericardial effusion associated with metastatic disease from an unknown primary tumor in a dog.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A 6.5-year-old spayed female Siberian husky was brought in showing weakness and signs of heart problems due to fluid buildup around the heart (cardiac tamponade). Tests revealed fluid in her chest and abdomen, and a procedure to drain the fluid provided temporary relief. Unfortunately, the fluid returned, leading to surgery to remove the tissue around the heart. Despite the surgery, the dog continued to have fluid issues and was ultimately euthanized. A postmortem exam showed that cancer cells had spread to the heart, which made it hard to diagnose the problem before her passing.
People also search for: dog heart problems · Siberian husky fluid around heart · metastatic cancer in dogs
Abstract
A 6.5-year-old, spayed female Siberian husky presented with signs of cardiac tamponade and weakness. Pleural, pericardial, and abdominal effusion were identified with radiographs and ultrasound. Pericardiocentesis relieved signs of tamponade, and the dog was clinically improved. Pericardial effusion recurred, and pericardiectomy was performed. Histopathological examination of excised tissues failed to reveal evidence of infectious or neoplastic disease. After pericardiectomy, clinically apparent thoracic effusion persisted. The dog was euthanized, and postmortem histopathological examination revealed emboli of metastatic carcinoma cells in the epicardium. The location of intrathoracic disease in this dog made antemortem diagnosis difficult, if not impossible.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10730621/